Turbine device having a permanent magnet rotor



June l, 1965 A. J. BAGGS 3,187,191

TURBINE DEVICE HAVING A PERMANENT MAGNET ROTOR Filed Jan. 4, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet l Vidar/26% June 1, 1965 A. J. BAGGS 3,187,191

TURBINE DEVICE HAVING A PERMANENT MAGNET ROTOR Filed Jan. 4, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l IN1/EN TOR. ,Qfecf 5466.5 .104

@tanzte/5 lto and driven from the turbine rotor.

United States Patent O 3,187,191 TURBHNE DEVlClE HAVENG A PERMANENT MAGNET RTR Albert J. Eaggs, Los Angeles, Qalii. (3h29 Yale Ave., Venice, Calif.) Filed Jan. 4, 1960, Ser. No. 233 1t) Claims. (Cl. 29d-$2) This invention deals generally with fluid pressure operated devices and particularly with a unique turbine device.

A general object of the invention is to provide a turbine device which is devoid of shaft seals or other points of tiuid leakage and which has an unusual toroidal shape that adapts the turbine device to a wide variety or unique uses and applications.

Another object of the invention is to provide several different huid pressure operated devices, each embodying the present turbine device, namely, a generator to produce a rotating magnetic field, an electrical generator, a rotary magnetic drive, a magnetic separator, and a gyroscopic device.

Other objects of the invention are concerned with providing a turbine device which is relatively simple, inexpensive, easy to manufacture, and ideally suited to use in nuclear power systems and other fluid systems which must be completely closed and leakproof.

Briefly, these objects are attained by providing a turbine device equipped with a hermetic casing of annular or toroidal conguration. The rotor of the turbine also has a generally annular configuration and is rotatably mounted within the annular interior of the turbine casing. Driving of the rotor is accomplished in the usual way by the action of pressure lluid on surfaces or vanes of the rotor.

ln certain illustrative forms of the invention, the rotor carries magnetic lield producing means, such as permanent magnets, so that a rotating magnetic held is thereby generated during operation of the turbine. In one illustrative application, this rotating field is used to gencrate electrical power by placing a coil or winding on the turbine casing. In other illustrative applications, the rotating magnetic field acts 4on a magnetically permeable, rotary driven member, concentrically arranged in the center opening of the toroidal shaped turbine casing, whereby `the driven member is magnetically coupled ln yet another illustrative application, the rotating magnetic eld is employed as a means to separate ferrous ore from nonferrous ore.

According to a further illustrative form of .the invention, the turbine rotor provides simply a rotating mass for stabilizing purposes.

Avbetter understanding of the invention may be had from the following detailed description thereof taken in connection with the annexed drawings, wherein:

FlG. 1 is a section through the electrical generator of the invention which embodies the present toroidal turbine device; Y

FIG. 2 is a section, on reduced scale, taken on line Z-Zof FlG. l;

FlG. 3 isa section, on reduced scale, through one form of magnetic drive according to the invention;

FIG. 4 is a section through another magnetic drive according to the invention;

FlG. 5 is a section the invention; and

FIG. 6 is a section through the rotary stabilizer of the invention.

ln FIGS. l and 2 of these drawings, the turbine device of the invention is designated by the numeral 1li. This device comprises a hollow, hermetic casing l2. of generally annular or toroidal shape having an interior space 13 in the form of a closed loop. The housing has a tluid inlet 14 and a fluid outlet ld. Extending through the inlet 14 is a fluid passage terminating in a tangentially directed nozzle 18.

Rotatably mounted within the turbine casing 12 is the rotor or impeller 2H. This impeller illustratively comprises a plurality of rollers 22 which are rotatably mounted on axles 24. pposite ends of these axles are ixed in a pair of flat rings 2.6 in such locations that the rollers are uniformly spaced around the rings, as shown. The rollers 2.2 roll on the inner cylindric surface 25 of the turbine casing and are spaced slightly from the outer cylindric surface 30 of the casing, as shown.

The turbine device is operated by connecting the iiuid inlet of the turbine casing to a source, not shown, of tluid under pressure. This lluid discharges as a high velocity jet through the nozzle 18 and impinges the rollers 22 on the impeller which serve as impeller vanes or blades. The impeller is thereby driven in rotation.

It is obvious that the impeller 2th can be made in ways other than that illustrated. For example, the inpeller might comprise a ring which is formed with conventional iinpeller blades and is rotatably mounted in the casing by means of ball bearings. Also, while the illustrated turbine device is of the impulse type, it is evident that the invention could be embodied in a reaction type turbine as well.

In FIGS. l and 2, as well as in FlGS. 3-5 to be presently discussed, the turbine device is utilized to generate a rotating magnetic eld. For this purpose, the impeller carries magnetic elements which produce a magnetic eld that rotates as the impeller turns. Various types of magnetic lield producing means may be used for this purpose.

In the drawings, for instance, the impeller vanes or rollers 22 comprise permanent magnets. rEhe turbine casing 1u, on the other hand, comprises some non-magnetically permeable material. During operation of the turbine, therefore, the magnetic irnpeller 2li is driven in rotation and produces a rotating magnetic field.

ln FlGS. l and 2, this rotating magnetic 'leld is used through the magnetic separator of to generate an electrical voltage. This is accomplished by placing an electrical winding 32 about the turbine casing l2 in such a way that during rotation of `the impeller, the lines of magnetic force in the rotating magnetic eld created by the rotating impeller cut through the turns of the coil 32. to generate a voltage across the output leads 34 of the winding.

An obvious advantage of this unique magnetic turbine generator is the absence of any shaft seals or other points of fluid leakage. This permits a completely closed duid system which is highly desirable or essential in many installations, such as nuclear power installations. Also,

of course, the absence of shaft seals simplies and reduces the cost ofthe generator.

ln the magnetic drive of FlG. 3, the coil 32 oi PEG. 1

is omitted. A shaft Sil to be driven is inserted through the center of the turbine casing ft2 and is rotatably supported in any convenient way, not shown. The turbine casing ll?. itself is xed.

Fixedly mounted on the driven shaft Sil at opposite sides of the turbine casing l2 are a pair of magnetically permeable plates 52. When the impeller 2li of the turbine device it is driven in rotation, as described in connection with the generator of FIG. 1, the -action of the rotating magnetic field on the plates 52 creates a torque which drives the shaft b. it is evident that the magneti cally permeable driven means 52 may assume configurations other than plates `and may, in some cases, even comprise the shaft itself.

In the magnetic drive of FIG. 4, the driven member comprises a propeller or fan 3ft rotatably mounted concentrically within the turbine device llt?. The blades of the propeller are magnetically permeable or carry magnetically permeable means so that the rotating magnetic iield produced during `operation of turbine il@ creates a torque for driving the propeller in rotation. The propeller drive of FiG. 4 might be advantageous in Wind tunnels, for example, because of the absence of a motor on the axis of the propeller which would disturb the air flow pattern through the propeller as well as restrict air liow.

ln theV magnetic separator of FlG. 5, a pipe or conduit 56, `for conveying ferrous and non-ferrous material 5S to be separate-d, extends through the center of the turbine itil. The material Sti might comprise, for example, a pulp made up of ferrous and non-ferrous ores which is forced to flow, in some way, through the pipe 56 in the direction indicated. During movement of this pulp through the rotating magnetic iield produced by the turbine llt), the ferrous materials tend to be formed by the field into a rotating annular mass S81 adjacent the Wall of the pipe 56 while the non-ferrous materials tend to be formed into a cylindrical mass itin at the center of the pipe.

Exten-ding concentrically through pipe 56 is an inner pipe ott. The left end of thisV inner pipe is open and yarranged to receive the non-ferrous materials 53u while the latter are still retained in a concentrated mass by the action of the rotating magnetic iield. The outer annular mass 5dr of ferrous materials flows into the annular space between the inner and outer pipes. The ferrous and nonferrous materials are thereby separated and may be conveyed to separate receivers.

ln FIG. 6, the numeral la@ denotes a turbine device having a toroidal-shaped casing ltlZ similar to the casing of turbine lb. Within this casing is an impeller lil-t cornprising an annular liyrt/heel having peripheral blades or varies ldd The impeller is rotatably mounted in the casing in some convenient way, such as by ball bearings Mld.

The turbine casing has a iiuid inlet lll@ and a fluid outlet 112 like those of turbine lltl so that the impeller is driven in rotation by the action of pressure iiuid, entering through inlet lllltl, on the impeller blades lilo. This rotating impeller provides a rota-ting mass which can be used for stabilizing purposes, for example. bilizing device might 4be used to advantage in a rocket, for example, in which case parts or the rocket propulsion system might conveniently extend through the center opening through the turbine casing.

It should be understood that the several applications of the present turbine device which have been disclosed are meant to be purely illustrative in nature and not to constitute an exhaustive list of all of the possible uses to which the turbine can be put.

Y What is claimed is:

ll. A magnetic turbine device comprising a hollow, generally toroidal turbine casing defining an annular space within the casing and an axial opening at the center of the casing, a rotary annular impeller in the casing, means to direct a fluid against the impeller to drive the latter in rotation, `and magnetic means mounted on the impeller Such a staso as to produce a rotating magnetic field as the impeller turns.

2. A turbine device comprising a hollow, generally toroidal turbine casing deiining an annular space within the casing and an axial opening at the center of the casing, a rotary annular impeller in said casing including a plurality of circumferentially spaced, yaxially extending rollers which roll on an inner cylindric surface of the casing, and means to direct a fluid against said rollers to drive the impeller in rotation.

3. The subject matter of claim 2 wherein said rollers comprise magnetic means to produce a rotating magnetic field as the impeller turns.

d. The subject matter of claim l including a coil means on said casing in which said rotating magnetic field generates a voltage.

5. The subject matter of claim l including a magnetically permeable driven member rotatably mounted concentrically within said opening through the casing and driven in rotation by said rotating magnetic field.

6. The subject matter of claim l including a conduit extending through said opening in the turbine casing, and a second conduit extending concentrically through the :tirst conduit `and having an open end located within the zone of said rotating magnetic lield.

'7. A turbine device comprising a hollow, generally toroidal turbine casing having a central axial opening and an internal annular space surrounding said opening, said casing including an internal coaxial surface forming an ax- -ial wall of said space, an annular impeller in said space including rollers engaging said surface to support said impeller for rotation in said casing, and means for directing a fluid against said impeller to drive the latter in rotation.

S. A turbine device comprising a hollow, generally toroidal turbine casing having a cent-ralraxial opening therethrough and a toroidal interior space encircling said axial opening, said interior space being bounded at its radially inner side by an inner, generally cylindrical wall of said casing extending about and defining the wall of said axial opening, at its radially outer side by an outer, generally cylindrical wall of said casing, and at its two remaining sides by generally .annular side walls of said casing which are joined about their inner circumference to said inner wall and about their outer circumference to said outer wall, lwhere-by said toroidal interior space is completely enclosed on all sides by the turbine casing, impeller means Within said interior space and supported by said casing for rotation around said space and about said axial opening, said impeller means having impeller surfaces, means on said casing deiining a fluid inlet terminating in a nozzle opening generally tangentially to said space for directing a high velocity fluid stream against said impeller surfaces for driving said impeller means in rotation around said interior space, means onsaid casingu dening a fluid outlet from said interior space, driven means rotatably mounted within said axial opening, and one of said means comprising a magnetically permeable metal .and the `othermeans comprising magnetic means for forming a magnetic drive coupling between said impeller means and said driven means, whereby said driven means is driven in rotation by rotation of said impeller means.

9. The subject matter of claim 3, wherein said driven means comprises a rotary fluid impeller.

iltl. A turbine device comprising a hollow, generally toroidal turbine casing having la central axial opening therethrough and a toroidal interior space encircling said axial opening,said interior space being'bounded at its radially inner side by an inner, generally cylindrical wall of said casing extending about and deiining the wall of said axial opening, at its radially o-uter sideby an outer, generally cylindrical wall of said casing, and at its two remaining sides by generally annular sidewalls of said casing which are joined about their inner circumference to said inner wall and about their outer circumference 6 -to said outer -wall, whereby said toroidal interior space is References Cited by the Examiner completely enclosed on all .sides by the turbine casing, UNITED STATES PATENTS an annular impeller within said interior spa-ce and rotatably mounted on said casing for rotation around said space 1307210 6/19 Newcomb 290`52 X and about said axial opening, said impeller having im- 5 2,270,141 1/ 42 Potter 290`52 peller surfaces circumiferentially spaced therearound, 2761714 3/42 Brown 2%*52 X means on said casing defining a fluid inlet terminating in 217091755 5/55 Potter 29o-52 a nozzle opening generally tangentially to said interior e space, `and means on said casing defining a fluid outlet ORIS L' KADER P'lmmy Exammer from said space. 10 MILTON O. HIRSHFIELD, Examiner. 

2. A TURBINE DEVICE COMPRISING A HOLLOW, GENERALLY TOROIDAL TURBINE CASING DEFINING AN ANNULAR SPACE WITHIN THE CASING AND AN AXIAL OPENING AT THE CENTER OF THE CASING, A ROTARY ANNULAR IMPELLER IN SAID CASING INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED, AXIALLY EXTENDING ROLLERS WHICH ROLL ON AN INNER CYLINDRIC SURFACE OF THE CAS- 